By Laura Keil
A new indoor seating area is Vale’s coffee newest add-on, and comes just in time for this week’s cold snap.
Vale Coffee’s Megan Vicente and Elliott Ingles say the new space will have a 26-person seating capacity once they receive additional chairs. Up until now, seating has been limited to outdoor picnic tables and benches paired with propane heaters.
The Vale crew worked hard over the holidays to finish installing the tables and hanging new art on the walls for the Fri. Jan 5th opening. Many of the items have stories behind them, including the wood used for the small tables along the back wall. Ingles — who is also Area Supervisor for Mt. Robson Park — salvaged the wood from the former Whitehorn suspension bridge and repurposed it into beautiful tabletops.
“If you’ve hiked the Berg Lake trail in the last 30 years, your shoes have touched those boards,” he said.
The space could be used for events in the future but Vincente says nothing is in the works right now. They also have a new accessible washroom, which is accessed by walking through the roasting area, giving patrons a sneak peak of the roasting process.
The new wall art includes photography by Ruby Hogg and locally-made guitars by Mountain Voice Soundwood. Vale continues to showcase wares from Brandon T Brown photography, Tristan Overy, Adalie Anthony, Emerald Earth Organics, and Tete Creek Farm.
In the summer, there are plans to expand the patio. For now, Vale will keep the same hours, Thursdays 11:30-2pm and Fridays-Sundays 7am-2pm.
Vale is the local coffee supplier to all the region’s ski resorts, including Marmot Basin, Crescent Spur Heliskiing, Mike Wiegele Heliskiing, and Canadian Mountain Holidays. Their coffee beans and brews are also sold to the public through Infinity Office & Health, Valemount IGA, and a few cafes in Jasper.
